Water blast control system



April 2, 1968 J. F. HINRICHS WATER BLAST CONTROL SYSTEM Filed y 21, 1966 2 Sheets-Shet 1 ATTORNEYS April 2, 1-968 J. F. HINRICHS WATER BLAST CONTROL SZYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR fizz Z. fi /A E/CV/QS United States Patent 3,375,980 WATER BLAST CONTROL SYSTEM Jack F. Hiurichs, Houston, Tex., assignor to Hydro- Services, Incorporated, Missouri City, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed July 21, 1966, Ser. No. 566,917 Claims. (Cl. 239-411) This invention relates to a novel system for delivering a fluid under pressure and more particularly to a system for precisely controlling the operation of fluid-pressure actuated equipment provided with fluid control means remote from the point of delivery of said fluid.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a novel water control system for safely delivering water under high pressure for water blast cleaning operations. In such operations a fine jet stream of water often moving in excess of 800 feet per second is utilized to produce a cutting action on the soil to be removed. Such operations are effectively employed in cleaning heat exchanger tube bundles, tanks, towers, reactors, turbines, process screens and filters, cars, steel and concrete structures, barges and the like.

It has been observed, however, that with present apparatus designed to deliver a fluid under pressure certain difiiculties are experienced when it is desired to provide an eflicient and safesystem whereby there is produced a substantially instantaneous cut off of the delivery of the fluid under high pressure. Additionally, it has been found that present systems are not efliciently adaptable to have integrated therein a plurality of water blast nozzles nor means for regulating the blasting pressure of the fluid without altering the speed of the pump delivering the fluid to the point of discharge. Moverover, present systems do not provide means which would eliminate complex apparatus to compensate for sudden reduction of high pressures when the jets of water discharged from nozzles were cut off. The present invention, however, provides these means and thus represents a total system for efliciently and safely cleaning surfaces utilizing the cleaning power of a high pressured fine jet stream of water.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved system for delivering a fluid under pressure which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art systems. Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel, compact and efficient water blasting system wherein pressure from a source of pneumatic pressure controls a valve mechanism adaptable to be actuated so that a fluid under high pressure is delivered to a discharging means with the discharging means being provided with actuating means for controlling the flow of pneumatic pressure, said discharging means being remote from said valve mechanism.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel water blasting system wherein means are provided which maintains a constant load on pumping means employed to deliver a fluid under high pressure.

Still a further object of the instant invention is to provide a novel water blasting system including means for maintaining a predetermined water blasting pressure without altering the speed of said pumping means.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view showing the pneumatic 3,375,980 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 control and fluid pressure flow and control means therefor in the water blasting system of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a blast gun high pressure fluid discharge means, with parts broken away, the pressure reduction control means and the actuating three-way valve mechanism employed in the instant invention to control delivery of the high pressure fluid to said discharge means; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a mobile unit adaptable to support the component parts of the water blasting system of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, the water blasting system of this invention comprises fluid pump means 10 adaptable to deliver a fluid under pressure via a network of conduits to a discharge means 12 or to recycle to the suction H side 14 of said pump means. In fluid communication with the discharge side of said pump means 10 is conduit means 16 provided with a relief valve 18. Conduit means 16 can, if desired, be provided with a T-fitting when at least two discharge means are desired for use. It will be observed that any number of such discharge means can be employed and the choice of piping and fixtures associ- .ated therewith to integrate a plurality of such discharge means will depend on the number of such discharge means chosen. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, two such discharge means are chosen and the description of one with its associated component parts will suflice in the description of the invention. Leading from the T-fitting are conduits 20 which are each in fluid communication with a three-way valve mechanism 22 which permits selective flow of the fluid under pressure to the discharge means 12 or to a recycle conduit 24 which leads back to the suction side 14 of the high pressure pump means 10 via conduit 26 and connecting conduit 28. While, of course, the fluid under pressure could be discharged to waste, it has been found that this closed system avoids discharge of water around the working area and thus contributes to a more efiicient and neater operation.

The three-way valve mechanism 22 comprises a conventional diaphragm-type valve assembly. Thus when pneumatic pressure acts on the diaphragm 30, the stem 32 operatively connected thereto moves downwardly to provide fluid communication between conduit 20 through which isflowing a fluid under high pressure and conduit 34, the free end of which is in fluid communication with the discharge nozzle assembly 36 of a gun mechanism 38 through a flexible hose member 40. When the diaphragm 30 is not subjected to pneumatic pressure to depress the stem 32 thereof downwardly, the valve is positioned to provide fluid communication between conduit 20 and conduit 24 which leads to the suction side 14 of the high pressure pump means 10 via conduits 26 and 28, or, if desired, to a disposal tank or sewer.

The pneumatic pressure provided to actuate the threeway valve mechanism 22 originates from a source of compressed air 42 which can, conveniently, be a suitable compressor and is adapted to be delivered to the system through a conduit 44 leading to a storage tank 46 in which the pressure of the air is stabilized to any predetermined value, for instance p.s.i. Leading from air storage tank 46 is delivery conduit 48 which leads to air filter means 50 from which the filtered air is passed to the gun mechanism 38 via air regulator 52, air orifice fitting 54, and air hose 56. The air orifice 54 permits a small controlled volume of air to flow to the gun mechanism 38. The air escapes to the atmosphere via hose 58 and port 66 in the handle 60 of the gun mechanism when the ball valve 62 is not seated in valve seat 64.

When the trigger mechanism 66 is squeezed the ball valve 62 which abuts the trigger housing is positioned in valve seat 64 thereby preventing further escape of pneumatic pressure to the atmosphere. Additionally the depression of the trigger 66 effects a pressure buildup on the diaphragm 68 of the poppet valve 70 through opening 72. The downward movement of the stem 74, operatively attached to the diaphragm 68 moves the valve 76 downwardly thus opening up a full line flow of pneumatic pressure through openings 78 and 80 which is delivered to the diaphragm 82 through opening 84 of the three-Way valve mechanism 22. The downward movement of stem 86, operatively attached to diaphragm 82 shifts the three- Way valve mechanism so that the fluid under pressure in line 20 communicates wtih conduit 34 and the gun mechanism 38 via flexible hose 40.

When the trigger mechanism 66 is released a small volume of air from the chamber 88 above diaphragm 82 passes to the exhaust poit 80 of the poppet valve 70 and the three-way valve mechanism shifts to communicate the fluid under pressure line 20 to the recycle conduit or waste line 24, thus substantially instantaneously cutting ofi discharge of pressurized fluid from the nozzle assembly 36 of the gun. This arrangement is an improved safety feature of the instant invention.

In recycle conduit 24 there is provided an orifice nozzle 90 the opening 92 of which has exactly the same dimensions as the opening 94 of the nozzle assembly 36 of the gun mechanism 38. This arrangement maintains a constant load on the pumping unit 10. Further, this arrangement permits the operation of two or more gun mechanisms from a single pumping unit even though the pumping unit chosen is a positive displacement pump. Moreover, by maintaining a constant load on the pumping unit, the wear on the pumps train of gears, bearings and packing is substantially minimized.

It has also been found that any predetermined pressure of the fluid discharged through the nozzle assembly 36 of the gun mechanism 38 can be provided Without altering the delivery rate of the pump unit 10. Thus conduit 96 leading from the discharge side of the pump 10 and communicating with conduit 28 via conduit 98 is provided with a throttle valve 100 and pressure gauge 102. By adjusting the throttle valve 100, the flow of fluid through conduit 96 can be increased or decreased with a concomitant and corresponding decrease or increase in v the flow of the fluid through conduit 16.

As can be seen, for instance, in FIGURE 3, the pump unit 10, pneumatic pressure source 42 and associated air storage vessel 46 and filter 50 as well as such component parts as the poppet valve 70 and three-way valve mechanism 22 can be mounted on the flat bed 104 of a vehicle 106, thus providing a highly compact and eflicient mobile unit.

From the foregoing description, the uses, advantages and operation of the present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While there has been described certain embodiments of the invention it should be understood that the embodiments are merely illustrative, and that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved system for discharging a fluid under pressure comprising a blasting gun havin discharge nozble means and pneumatic control means incorporated in said gun, first conduit means adaptable to deliver said fluid to said nozzle means from a source of said fluid remote from said nozzle means, second conduit means adaptable to bypass said nozzle means, said first and second conduit means in fluid communication with valve means remote from said gun and adaptable to be actuated by said pneumatic control means incorporated in said gun whereby said valve means is selectively positioned to deliver fluid under pressure from said source to said first and second conduits, said second conduit provided with an orifice nozzle having a discharge opening substantially equal to that of said discharge nozzle of said blasting gun, third conduit means adaptable to deliver pneumatic pressure to said gun and fourth conduit means adaptable to bypass said gun and deliver said pneumatic pressure to said valve means on actuation of said pneumatic control means incorporated in said gun.

2. The system of claim 1 including high pressure pump means for delivering said fluid to said first and second conduits and fifth conduit means leading from the discharge side of said pump means and in fluid communication with the suction side of said pump means.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said fifth conduit means includes throttle valve means adaptable to control the flow of fluid in said fifth conduit means thereby permitting selection of a predetermined pressure of said fluid discharged from said gun.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said second conduit means is in fluid communication with the suction side of said pump means.

5. The system of claim 1 including a plurality of blasting guns and a plurality of valve means, each of said valve means adaptable to be actuated by pneumatic control means on one of said blasting guns.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED SYSTEM FOR DISCHARGING A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE COMPRISING A BLASTING GUN HAVING DISCHARGE NOZBLE MEANS AND PNEUMATIC CONTROL MEANS INCORPORATED IN SAID GUN, FIRST CONDUIT MEANS ADAPTABLE TO DELIVER SAID FLUID TO SAID NOZZLE MEANS FROM A SOURCE OF SAID FLUID REMOTE FROM SAID NOZZLE MEANS, SECOND CONDUIT MEANS ADAPTABLE TO BYPASS SAID NOZZLE MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUIT MEANS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH VALVE MEANS REMOTE FROM SAID GUN AND ADAPTABLE TO BE ACTUATED BY SAID PNEUMATIC CONTROL MEANS INCORPORATED IN SAID GUN WHEREBY SAID VALVE MEANS IS SELECTIVELY POSITIONED TO DELIVER FLUID UNDER PRESSURE FROM SAID SOURCE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUITS, SAID SECOND CONDUIT PROVIDED WITH AN ORIFICE NOZZLE HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT OF SAID DISCHARGE NOZZLE OF SAID BLASTING GUN, THIRD CONDUIT MEANS ADAPTABLE TO DELIVER PNEUMATIC PRESSURE TO SAID GUN AND FOURTH CONDUIT MEANS ADAPTABLE TO BYPASS SAID GUN AND DELIVER SAID PNEUMATIC PRESSURE TO SAID VALVE MEANS ON ACTUATION OF SAID PNEUMATIC CONTROL MEANS INCORPORATED IN SAID GUN. 